July 25: What do we mean by an affordable home?

THERE has been a demand from a lot of people in the Press, on television and in Parliament for this country to build more affordable homes, especially for the younger first-time buyers.

However, I have not yet seen any specification of what an affordable home should consist of. As a start I would suggest that it could be a two-storey, two-bedroom semi or part of a block of three or four homes, with a through lounge and a kitchen downstairs, a small garden at the rear, no garage (garages end up as store rooms) but off-road parking for one car at the front.

I am guessing that such a house could be sold for between £80,000 and £100,000 here in the north but would probable fetch three or four times that in London – more fool them.

In order to bring these houses to the market, I would like the Government to set a minimum of say, 20 per cent, of all houses in any development over 10 houses to be affordable. In addition, these houses must be sold to individuals for owner occupation and not sold to any company, individual or housing association to be subsequently offered for rent nor offered for rent by the developer or his agent. This restriction will need to be imposed on any original or subsequent purchaser for at least 20 years.